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How refreshing did Jessica Biel look at the L.A. premiere for her new film, "A-Team?" Not only was she modern and understated in a white Emilio Pucci gown designed by my good friend Peter Dundas, but she had the foresight to pair her dress with not Fred Leighton, not Cartier, not Bulgari--but Vhernier jewels. I recently discovered this Italian jeweler's designs while interviewing the Mayor of Milan for a story and have become quite fond of the company and its focus on quality and heritage over in-your-face pretentiousness. For her big night, Jessica wore Vhernier's large Camuration ring in rose gold chalcedony turquoise) and Orecchini Vague earrings in rose gold kogolong. Bold and beautifully shaped yet subtly refined, the jewels don't cost the six-digit fortunes of many of the brand's jewelry counterparts, but the statement they make is equally long-lasting. I absolutely love how the white stone in Jessica's earrings match with her Pucci dress; the white-on-white is a stunning statement for a woman as beautiful as she is.

Ring ($8,800) and earrings ($7,400), available at Vhernier Beverly Hills Store (9546 Brighton Way Beverly Hills, CA, 310-273-2444)

The newest addition to arrive at Banana Republic's accessories-only concept shop in San Francisco is a 17-piece jewelry collection designed by Chan Luu, whose creations have been worn by Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga and Kate Hudson. The limited-edition bracelets Luu designed for Banana Republic launched last week at Edition by Banana Republic--marking the first time the Gap-owned brand has worked with a jewelry designer to create an special collection. The collection showcases Luu's signature wrap style, which brings together custom-dyed thread or leather with unique semi-precious stones, gold or sterling silver. The collection will be sold exclusively at Edition and will debut at an event honoring the store's one-year anniversary. It will then be rolled out to select stores in the U.S., Canada and Japan and online in the U.S. only beginning August 10.

$95 to $225, available at Banana Republic Accessories-Only Store in San Francisco (865 Market Street, 415-546-0340)

Seriously, how sick is this ring? I'm not a big jewelry guy, but I fell in love with this ring the moment I saw it at the McQueen showroom. Every now and then, an accessory comes along that is just too iconic and too must-have to resist! This particular bauble--if you can even refer to it as such--is called the "Hell's Knuckle" duster ring and is made of gold brass. Not only is it the ultimate statement maker--wear it with a tanktop and jeans or a fitted tuxedo--but it's also from the last McQueen collection designed prior to the designer's untimely death. In addition to McQueen's signature skull design, this piece of eye candy also features a trio of rings underneath the wing motif in which your fingers slide easily into. It's not terribly weighty, either, so aside from some minor inconvenience should you need to actually write with your fingers, this ring will be a fabulous addition to your jewelry box. Go bold! With this ring, you won't regret it!

$495, available at Saks.com

Simplicity with a twist: in a nutshell that best sums up Phillip Lim's Fall 2010 3.1 Phillip Lim collection. These necklaces, however, clearly befit that "twist" notion--part of Phillip's inspiration that included a step into the seventies/disco era and the vibe of Halston a la Studio 54. The jewelry was styled to minimal effect on Phillip's runway (just one look, in fact, featured a toned down version of the above necklaces paired with a sequin blouse). For the 3.1 Phillip Lim devotee seeking to maximize her disco fever, however, the options are endless--as a recent visit to the designer's studio revealed. I'm digging these three necklace options from Phillip that offer a lot of oomph for not an exorbitant amount of money (when you consider the work that went into them). From left to right: Baroque bits embroidered 20kt gold necklace plate ($375); embroidered rhinestone and blanketed bugle vanity necklace plate ($650) and Baroque bits embroidered vanity necklace plate ($695). Wear the simplest one with an oversized tanktop and a pair of Phillip's oversized trousers from seasons past--but wear the statement making ones with one of his dramatic asymmetrical fall gowns. Sometimes it's ok to throw Coco Chanel's adage out the window. More is more!

Available at 3.1 Phillip Lim New York (115 Mercer St., 212-334-1160) and West Hollywood (631 N. Robertson Blvd., 310-358-1988)

Cate Blanchett can do no wrong. The stunning Oscar-winning actress kicked off the Cannes Film Festival in grand style this week with a series of gorgeous ensembles--starting with an ice pink organza lamé cocktail dress by Giorgio Armani Privé that she complemented with a suite of jewels by Van Cleef & Arpels. For a press conference to promote her film, "Robin Hood," Blanchett wore an elegant pair of "Cordes" diamond earrings set in yellow gold, dating from 1953 and plucked from a private collection (she also wore a "Sabre Japonais" diamond bracelet set in yellow gold dating back to 1958). I love the braided effect of the rope detail on the earrings--down to their simple tassel effect. The gold contrasts beautifully with her sun-kissed hair and pale complexion; in short, it's true Hollywood elegance--minus any signs of conspicuous consumption. Blanchett has never been one to shy away from risk-taking, and these earrings, while not terribly outrageous, definitely do maintain a distinct aura to them.

Anyone who's ever been to Chicago's Millennium Park will undoubtedly recognize the prominent Cloud Gate sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor. I'm a huge fan of his work and now, thanks to Bulgari, the Indian sculptor's ethereal designs can be worn as art--and at an affordable price point.
Kapoor reinterpreted Bulgari's iconic B.zero1 ring--first created to celebrate the new millennium--to combine the Tubogas and the double Bulgari logo inspired by Roman epigraphy and designed with a modular "bounce" to it. Having tried one on, I can attest to its lightweight nature. The wide frame of the ring makes for a solid design with a statement making look characteristic of the B.zero1 collection.

To date, over 1.5 million pieces of B.zero1 have sold. Fun fact: it's the first time Bulgari has collaborated with an artist on a piece that was subsequently available for purchase. The pink gold and stainless steel ring launched last week at Bulgari stores worldwide and at www.bulgari.com and comes housed in a special Kapoor-designed translucent case with silicone rubber.

A special YouTube video showing the inspiration behind the ring may be viewed at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-92Duyj5s0

$890, available at Bulgari stores and www.bulgari.com

One of America's foremost leaders in fine jewelry, David Yurman toasted three decades in business with the opening last week of a multimillion-dollar flagship in a converted townhouse adjacent to Graff on Madison Avenue at 63rd Street that represents the brand's biggest single retail investment.

The five-floor flagship, which Yurman calls the Townhouse, is the exclamation point on a global two-year expansion plan that saw the brand's recent entry into the European market with a 400-square-foot in-store boutique at Printemps in Paris, which launched in March, and another shop-in-shop at the Moscow luxury retailer Tsum.

Soon-to-be brides rejoice! J.Crew's debut bridal jewelry collection, which launches in May at its new Manhattan bridal store as well as online, was previewed at the Core Club on Monday and after seeing the capsule collection designed with the mindset of Miriam Haskell--America's original couture costume jeweler--I'm loving the results! The 34 pieces range in price from $150 to $1,400 and feature necklaces, rings, bracelets, brooches and earrings. Truth be told, they'll look great whether you're wearing Oscar de la Renta or Filene's Basement! J.Crew's done some incredible collaboration with its men's wear and accessories; it's nice to see the brand take things up a notch for women as well. Each piece of jewelry is hand-made and made to order in New York and features either a few or a combination of such materials as baroque glass pearls, crystal rose montees, gold-plates filigrees, Swarovski crystals and vintage Miriam Haskell materials. While the necklaces are certainly chunky and weighty (solo strands of pearls aside), the rest of the collection is surprisingly lightweight yet very expensive looking. The detail in the designs is refreshing. My favorites, aside from the pearl necklaces, had to be the brooches. I'd love to see those re-worked as haircombs (next season perhaps?). Very chic! What I love most is that the collection can be worn by non-brides too! There's nothing that screams "wedding day"--versatility was certainly not lost here.

$150 to $1,400; available at J.Crew Madison Ave. Bridal Store and www.jcrew.com

Pierre Hardy truly can do no wrong. The affable Frenchman, who's long been responsible for shoe design at Hermès, has extended his creative say at the luxe French brand, designing the label's first high jewelry collection. Dubbed "haute bijouterie," Hermès, which has until now been known for its silver jewelry, spent the last two years creating an aesthetically gorgeous capsule collection inspired by its equestrian heritage.

Take the Centaure collection, for example. Have you seen design inspired by horse's hoofs result in anything chicer? I think not. I love that a full suite of complementary pieces was designed for this particular collection as it's sure to be well received when it launches this fall as part of a world tour the pieces will go on (Tokyo in September, Hong Kong in October and Berlin in November). The bracelet, necklace, earrings and rings all focus on bold shapes--hence the hoof--and less on precious stones. They're cast in rose gold with a black jade or orange aventurine stone ringed with brilliant cut diamonds or entire paved with diamonds. I just absolutely love the Centaure necklace for evening and the ring for day!

Meanwhile, have you seen the Fouet necklace? Talk about slender elegance! A diamond necklace designed to mimic the lines of a whip, it's made of platinum and set with 3,669 diamonds, totaling 36.16 carats. The collection is priced from $23,675 for clip-on rose gold and black jade earrings to $880,000 for the diamond necklace. It'll take about five to seven months for the pieces to be made and delivered--clients can customize their pieces as they wish. Perhaps the best part? The pieces will come in custom-made boxes made of black alligator leather.

New mom Padma Lakshmi (daughter Krishna Thea was born five weeks ago) is clearly focusing her efforts on things more personal and close to the heart. Witness the latest project to come from her eponymous fine jewelry line: a pair of special edition Jasmine Flower gold and garnet earrings whereby 20 percent of sales will benefit the Endometriosis Foundation of America, where she is a co-founder and board member of the foundation. "There is no cause closer to my heart," said Lakshmi. "After years of suffering from endometriosis, I teamed up with the surgeon who literally changed the quality of my life." The earrings complement nicely Lakshmi's nature-inspired collection of baubles and can easily be worn with the "Top Chef" host's other designs. I like these because they're subtle yet chic for day--say at a ladies lunch--but just as fitting when paired with a LBD and cute Lanvin flats. What's more, the earrings commemorate the organization's annual Blossom Ball, to be held May 20 at the New York Public Library.

$350, available in May at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Mitchells of Westport and Richards of Greenwich in May 2010

Heart on your sleeve is one thing; soul on your finger is quite another--and something I highly recommend if it's from Jil Sander. Just in time for Valentine's Day, the fashion house has debuted a new Soul collection of rings available only at the label's online boutique. Crafted in Italy, the finger candy boasts a chunky silver-and-enamel design that's a surefire standout for the minimalist house. It might not have quite the commanding presence of a Graff cocktail ring, but it's also one-tenth the price! Wear it to work with your suit and to cocktails with an LBD. A truly versatile ring, it whispers, doesn't shout, subtle style. The best part? I love that it's available in bright, perky colors like orange, blue, pink and yellow (not to mention black, which is an option for gents).

$540 available exclusively at www.jilsander.com

Looking to make a statement this spring? Look no further than Tom Binns, whose limited-edition capsule collection for Disney inspired by Tim Burton's upcoming film, "Alice in Wonderland," launches this week. Anyone who's ever tried on or worn one of Binns's necklaces knows they're not only significant, weighty pieces, but they're true handmade works of art to boot. Of the six pieces in this special collection, priced from $575 to $1,000, I found myself gravitating toward his "All Heart" necklace named after the movie's Red Queen, natch (other characters he drew inspiration from include the Mad Hatter, the White Queen and the White Rabbit). Is it just me or does looking at this necklace of hematite chains, Swarovski crystals and countless red resin hearts make you crave a box of old-fashioned Red Hots cinnamon candies? What I appreciate about this necklace is that it's both simplistic in design yet statement-making in sheer attitude. Can't you just picture it at a spring season gala or Hamptons backyard barbeque? Wallflowers need not apply; a woman brave enough to wear this necklace needs no introduction: she's the center of attention, the life of the party--in short, a real firecracker. $1,000 at Tom Binns Design online.

For as long as I've known Padma Lakshmi, I've always been impressed by her unique sense of style. Never one to follow trends, the statuesque former model--and, I'm happy to say, my friend--has blossomed into author, actress, "Top Chef" host and, most recently, jewelry designer. Her eponymous line of fine jewelry ranges in price from $300 to $6,000 and is available at seven high-profile retailers worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus in the U.S. As her third collection debuts this spring, not to mention the birth of her first child in a few short weeks, I chatted with her about how her line has evolved.

How does your culture play a role in your jewelry design?
"Jewelry is so much a part of Indian culture--especially Indian feminine culture--that it couldn't help but play a significant role. Jewelry is also India's greatest export. I have a lot of antiques and archival jewelry pieces I've amassed from relatives and gifts and through my travels as a model. Every kind of jewelry plays a big role in my designing. Some of the pieces have a direct influence from my heritage, but I'm also influenced by a Calder mobile or Erte sculpture or Verdura charm bracelet that I have of Maltese crosses (our charm bracelets are more slick, modern and younger versions of those). I didn't want to do costume jewelry; it's just not my bag. I really wanted, even in a humble pinky ring, it to last--something you could pass on to your daughter or niece. I'm Indian so we put a lot of stock in gold."